Projectile-loading apparatus.



G. W. LAKE.

l PROJECTILE LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30. I916 1,231,388. Patented June 26, 1917.

2 $HEETS-SHEET 1- TE J 'ifsTaTES P E @F cnoaen w. am, or RUMFORD, anionsISLAND, assrcnon or own-nature I w. SMITH, or PROVIDENCE, nHonE ISLAND.

- PBOJECTILE LOADING APPARATUS.

. Patented June 2rd, 191?,

Application filed December 30, 1916. "Serial-F0. 139,773.

T all whom it may concern:

Be itknown-that 'I, GEoncE W. LAKE, a citizen of the United States, andresident of the town of Rumford, in the county of Provi- 'dence andState of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Projectile-Loading Apparatus, of

which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates toapparatus for paratus for loading the largersize shells, a

loading projectiles, more particularly those of the larger sizes, withhigh explosives, and

. the invention has for onev of its-objects to provide means for forcingthe charge into a heated shell, and to cool the shell while the chargeand its surplus of loading material remains under the loading pressure,whereby this surplus is forced into the shell to c0mpensate for theshrinkage or contraction of thematerial while cooling, thus insuring anabsolutely solid charge of-uniform density without pores or air spacestherein, as it is found in practice that uneven loading will throw theshell out of balance, rendering the shot inaccurate and in most casesineffective.

A 'further object of the invention is to provide means whereby thecooling medium is caused, to begin. the cooling operation at the bottomof the shell and then work upward so as to permit the surplus filling,which may be either in granular, plastic or liquid form to be forced inat the top to compensate for the shrinkage thereby insuring a completefilling of the shell. A still further object of the invention- 15 o rovide means for locking together the she 1 support, and the powerapplying mechanism during the shell filling operation.

The invention further consists in the pro-,

vision of means for removing the power applying mechanism from alinementwith the shell support, whereby the loaded shell may be readily removedand another shell positioned to-be filled.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an elongated neckportion which is connected to the shell and in which a surplus' portionof the charge is stored and adapted to be forced into the shell tocompensate for shrinkage-when the charge is' melted or liquefied, andalso when it is cooled and -solidified. i I

A. still further objectof the invention is from a point remote from theshell thereby the provision of meansilwhereby the applh j cation ofpressure to the charge is controlled reducing to the minimum the hazardof loading shells with high explosives.

By the employment of my improved apnumber of important advantages areobtained. Amongothers being, first, by first liquefying and thensolidifying the charge while under pressure an absolutely perfect chargeof uniform density with no pores or airholes 18 obtained; second, oneinan can operate this machine to load a shell complete in but a fewminutes thus greatly increasing the production over present methods';third, by operating the loading mechanism'from a distance, the danger ofloading is reduced to the mimimum. I

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain n0vel-features of construction, as will bemore fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation showing I myimproved loading apparatus as located Fig. 3 ma sectional plan viewthrough i the bulkhead or pit backing; also showing the arrangement ofthe pipes controlling the operation of the loading mechanism,

Fig. 4- is a sectional elevation showing the'shell loading mechanism insection and illustrating the iston as forcing the charge into the shellw ich latter is immersed in a heat controlling medium.

Fig. 5- 's a plan view of reduced size shpwing a section on line 55 ofFig; 4c-

. 5 which fits into the T slot in the base plate.

Fig. 7- is an edge view of the base plate showing the T slot therein. IFig. 8 is a side elevation of the funnel by means of which the fillingmaterial is m first conducted through the filling neck into the shell.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the valve for controlling the pressure toand discharge from the operating cylinder.

In myfimptpved method for filling large slrells or'projectiles with highexplosives, I 'use a material which may be obtained commercially ingranular or powdered form, or in a liquid or semi-plastic state, but.for convenience in handling, I preferably. employ the granular form ofmaterial.

My improved apparatus consists essentially of a base plate 10 havingT-shaped slots 11 and 12 in its side edges in which fit the heads 13 ofthe tie rodsor bolts 14. On this base plate is supported a water tank orreceptacle 15 which is provided with a pipe 16 near its lowerendforadmitting hot water thereto, and a pipe 17 also near the bottom of thetank for admitting cold water thereto.

This tank is provided near its top with an plunger 32, which passestherethrough to exert a pressure on the charge while first,

liquefying and then solidifying the same.

valve 20 is connected to the bottom of the 23 is screwed, but the base24 of this shell is in some cases supplied with an opening through whichthe filling is passed instead of through the nose as herein shown.

' A feature of this invention is the rovision of the elongated supplyneck23 w ich has a screw threaded boss 25' at its lower end, said bossbeing provided with an enlarged filling opening 26 and a small ventopening 27 through Which-the air from the shell is discharged by wayZofthe pipe 28 and valve 29. This supply neck is also pro- -vided with anelongatedcentral chamber 30 for storing an extra quantity of the fillingmaterial, over and above that poured into the shell, to be forced intothe shell and compensate for the shrinkage therein due to the melting ofthe'grains and contraction "due'to the cooling of the charge.

This neck is provided with a U-shaped This piston rod or plunger extendsupward through the packing 37 in the yoke 33, through the cylinder 34and out through the packing box 35 at the upper end thereof and to it isconnected the piston 36 which is designed to move in this cylinder 34 tocause the plunger to 'exert pressure on the charge. a

Any suitable medium may be employed for acting on this piston, but. Ipreferably employ water under pressure, which is admitted theretothrough the pipe 38, which pipe extends back through the bulkhead 39 andis provided with a pressure gage 4O and a valve 4 1., whereby'theoperator at the rear may admit-pressure to the cylinder and observe bythe gage the amount of pressure appiled. The yoke 33 is tied to the base10 by means of the tie rods or bolts 14 so'as to render effective theforce of the piston upon the charge.

The operation of loading the shells or projectiles with high explosivesby my improved process is performed as follows Firsta number of theshells are pre-heated .in the oven 52 shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and oneofthese heated shells is. removed and the supply neck 23 is screwedthereinto. This shell thus equipped is engaged by the chain hoist 48 andlifted over into the empty tank 15, from above which the cylinder 34 hasbeen previously removed by its individual hoist 44. The funnel 49,shownin Fig. 8, is now placed in the supply neck,

and the explosive material in granular form is poured through the funneldown into the shell until the same is filled and the supply neck is alsofilled upto the packing 31 and .the funnel is then removed. The materialmay be poured. into the shell after being. taken from the oven andbefore it is positionedin the tank if desired.

The chain hoist 4.8 is now rolled back at 1 The operator now closes thedischarge valve 20- leading from the tank, he then leaves the loadingpit and passes around back of the bulkhead 39. Here he first opens valve51 permitting the'hot Water to flow through pipe 16 and fill the tank,thereby melting and liquefying the charge in the shell. He then operatesthe three-way valve 41 to permit the water pressure to flow through pipe38 into the cylinder 34 thereby.

driving downits piston 36 and causing the I to a liquid state. Afterheat and pressure have been applied to the shell for a predeterminedlength of time, the valve 51 is closed and valve 52 is opened permittingthe cold water to enter at the bottom-of the tank 15, thereby forcingthe hot Water out through-the overflow 1'8 and acting upon the shell andits contents to cool the same at its bottom first, and then graduallyupward to its top.

Y The cooling action liquid material in the shell at once serves toharden the same into a solid mass. During .this hardening process themass is bound to shrink somewhat reducing the 'bulk slightly, -Whichreduction is. at once compensated for by the force of the piston actingupon the charge so that when thefilling operation is finished the chargein the shell is absolutely a solid mass of uniform density Without anypossibility of a blowv hole or air space being formed therein, which isof v 80 utmost importance to the successful loading of an explosiveprOJectile. After the shell has been completely filled and its fillingmaterial hardened by cooling, which takes a predetermined number ofminutes to accomplish, theoperator back of the bulkhead now shuts ofl.his supply of cold Water to the tank, and the pressure to the cylinder341 and opens the discharge therefrom, after which he enters the pit and40 opens the valve 20, permitting the cold water to be quicklydischarged from the tankv 15; .During this time he unscrews the 'nuts 42from the bolts 14 and attaches the chain hoist; to the end of theplunger 32.

45 Then by setting up this hoisthe first raises the plunger withdrawingit from the supply neck 23, which act on also forces the water fromtheupper-end. of the cylinder A-out through the pipe 38thro1lgh which itentered, which action is made possible by the employment ofv thethree-way valve 41, see Fig. 9, which is connected to this pipe 38. Thecoupling 54 ong'ithe pipe 38 is now broken and the-yoke an cylinder are55 lifted from the rods and the same is then moved to one'side by meapsof the carria e47. .m r fresh shell now engaged by the chain i hoist 48and the loading operation is repeated as described.- I have described myapparatus more particularly as using the charging material in granularform, but this material may be upon this, plastic or.

used in a liquid, plastic or other convenient form if desired. I havealso described the means whereby the shell is heated during the time thematerial is being forced thereinto, but in some cases it may be foundthat 'by simply heating the shell to a predetermined temperature justprior to the filling, and before the applicatidn of; pressure theretowill sufficiently lique'fy the charge to permit the pressure to,satisfactorily act upon the same. If it is desired to use the materialin a, liquid or'plastic form instead of in a dry or granular form, Iattach a pipe or hose.

.to the inlet pipe 55'illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and forcethe liquidmaterial into the neck therethrough by a pump or other -means.After the shell has become filled and before the'pressure is applied, Iclose the valve 56 to prevent the liquid-from [being forced outthe'rethrough when the plunger 32 descends.

Having thus described one illustrative em hopliment of my invention, Idesire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed,they are used in a genericsense and not for the purpose of limitation, Itherefore desire itto be understood that I reserve the privilegeofresorting to all mechanical changes to which the device issusceptible, the scope of the invention being defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim: r

1. In a shell loading apparatus, means for heating the shell, means forforcing the explosive material into the shell While heated, and meansfor applying a cooling medium to the shell While the contents are underpressure.

2. An improved method of loading shells with explosives consisting ofheating the shell, forcing the explosive material into 5 the shell whileheated, and applying a cooling medium to the shell while the contentsare under pressure.

3. An improved method of loading shells with explosives consisting ofheating the shell, for'cing the explosive material into the shell whileheated, and permitting the shell to cool while its contents are stillunder pressure.

4:. In a shell loading apparatus, means for 1 applying heat to the shellduring a portion only of the filling operation, means for forcing theexplosive material into the shell, and subsequently permitting the shellto cool.

5. An improved method of loading shells 0 with explosives consisting ofapplying heat to the shell during a portion only of the fillmaterialinto the shell during such heating 25 and cooling operations.

v 6. In a shell loading apparatus, means for forcing the explosivematerial intothe shell,

and means for both heating and co ling the shell during such fillingoperation.

pressure to force the explosive material into.

the heated shell, and means for subsequently cooling the shell beginningat the end oposite'to that through which the charge is eing forced. 9.In "a-shell loading apparatus, means i for heating the shell, means forapplying pressure to force the explosive material into the heated shell,and means for subsequently cooling the shell during a portion of thefilling operation beginning at the end oppositeto that through which thecharge is being forced. v

10. In a. shell loading apparatus, means for heating the shell, apressure plunger for forcing the explosive intothe shell, While heated,and means forcooling the shell While the contents are still underpressure;

11. A shell loading apparatus comprising a casing in which the shellto-be loaded is placed, a pressure operated plunger for forcing thecharge into said shell, means for admitting a heating and cooling mediumalternately 'to said casing to heat the shell before the charge isadmitted and to cool the same While the charge is still under pres-.sure.-

12. In ashell loading apparatus, means for heating the shell, a pressureplunger forforcing the explosive into the shell While heated, means forcool'ng the shell While its contents are still unde pressure, and means.for carryingan extra .upply of fillin'g ma: terial under pressure 0 beforced into the shell to compensate fo the contracting and shrinkage ofthe charge. I a

13. In a shell loading apparatus, means for heating the shell, apressure. plunger -or forcing the'explosive into the shell While heated,and a supply neck connected to" the shell in Which is stored the fillingmaterial under pressure ofsaid plunger to be forced into the shell tocompensate for the shrink age of the charge. vand means for cooling theshell while its contents and supplyal'e still under pressure. l

14. In a shell loading apparatus, a poweroperated plunger for forcingthe charge into the shell, a-shell support} and bars fordetachablysecuring together the, power ap plying mechanism and saidshell support A and means for removing the power applyin mechanism froma'linem'ent with the shell support. p 16.-In.'a shell loading apparatus,means for heating the shell, means for forcing the explosiveintolthevsh'ell whileiheated, and means for controlling saidforcingmeans from a point remote from the-shell.

17. Inan apparatus for applying explorsives to shells, means for forcingthe charge into the shell, and means for alternately heating andcoolingthe shell While being loaded, andmeans for controlling thetemperaturesof the shell from a point remote therefrom.

18. In a shell loading apparatus, means for heating the shell, apressure plunger for forcing the explosive mto the shell while heated,means for'cooling the shell While the supply thereto is still underpressure,

and means for controlling said pressure plunger from a point remote fromthe shell.

19. In a shell loading apparatus, means for heating the shell, means forapplying pressure .to' force the explosive material into theheatedf'shell, means for subsequently cooling the 'shell gbe g inning atthe end opposite to that'th'i'ough which the charge is being forced, andmeans for controlling the operating mechanism from a point remote fromthe shell during the pressure applying operation. l

- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of a witness. gGEORGE W. LA'KE.

Witness:

HOWARD E BARLow'.

